Synonyms of deceptive

deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv 

1

as in misleading

tending or having power to deceive

in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misleading
• false
• deceitful
• deceiving
• specious
• delusive
• incorrect
• beguiling
• ambiguous
• fallacious
• delusory
• inaccurate
• fraudulent
• deluding
• subtle
• cunning
• dishonest
• sneaky
• trick
• wily
• crooked
• tricky
• duplicitous
• crafty
• shifty
• artful
• underhanded
• perplexing
• slick
• treacherous
• puzzling
• sly
• untrustworthy
• mendacious
• devious
• lying
• subtile
• confounding
• shady
• wrong
• untruthful
• distracting
• underhand
• insidious
• foxy
• counterfeit
• artificial
• evasive
• faithless
• guileful
• perfidious
• hypocritical
• forged
• bogus
• fake
• bewildering
• spurious
• trickish
• phony
• sham
• insincere
• ambidextrous
• knavish
• feigned
• dissembling
• circuitous
• equivocal
• jive
• defrauding
• fast
• sneaking
• backhanded
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• forthright
• direct
• plain
• nondeceptive
• open
• frank
• straight
• candid
• outspoken
• aboveboard
• illuminating
• explanatory
• revealing
• truthful
• plainspoken
• revelatory
• clarifying
• openhearted
• honest
• trustworthy
• free-spoken
• foursquare
• elucidative

2

as in fraudulent

given to or marked by cheating and deception

a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fraudulent
• shady
• dishonest
• crooked
• false
• duplicitous
• fast
• rogue
• shifty
• underhanded
• underhand
• bent
• artful
• sharp
• deceiving
• guileful
• deceitful
• treacherous
• unscrupulous
• unethical
• subtle
• double-dealing
• unprincipled
• cunning
• unconscionable
• delusive
• beguiling
• slick
• wily
• slippery
• sly
• crafty
• sneaky
• insidious
• tricky
• cagey
• delusory
• devious
• furtive
• foxy
• perfidious
• deluding
• trickish
• defrauding
• sneaking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• honest
• straight
• ethical
• honorable
• decent
• conscientious
• scrupulous
• just
• upright
• aboveboard
• straightforward
• forthright

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deceptive

Patrick Vereb, of Vereb Funeral Homes and Eternity Pet Memorial, was charged with eight counts of deceptive or fraudulent business practices and other felonies after he was accused of defrauding thousands of pet owners over a number of years. — Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026

Some of the suits allege OpenAI violated the states’ deceptive trade practices laws. — Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026

What Apple says about suspicious iMessages Apple says this type of deceptive messaging uses social engineering, a tactic in which scammers rely on impersonation and manipulation to persuade people to share personal information. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026